A Handbook of the English Language Part 6

13. Shi nu dup multe zile, adunint toate fec orul c el mai tinr, s'a dus intr 'o car departe, shi akolo a rsipit toat avuciea ca, viecuind intr dezmierdri.

14. Shi keltuind el toate, c'a fkut foamete mare intr' ac'ea car: shi el a inc'eput a se lipsi.

15. Shi mergina c'a lipit de unul din lkuitorii crii ac'eia: si 'l a trimis pre el la earinide sale c pask porc'ii.

16. Shi doria c 'shi sature pinctec'ele su de roshkobele c'e minka porc'ii! shi nimini nu i da lui.

17. Iar viind intru sine, a zis; kici argaci ai tatlui mieu sint indestulaci de piine, iar eu pieiu de foame.

18. Skula-m-viou, shi m' voiu duc'e la tata mieu, shi viou zic'e lui:

19. Tat, gres.h.i.t-am la c'er shi inaintea ta, shi nu mai sint vrednik a m kema fiul tu; fm ka pre unul din argacii ti.

-- 67. Such is the _general_ view of the languages derived from the Latin, i.e., of the languages of the Latin branch of the Cla.s.sical stock.

The French requires to be more minutely exhibited.

Between the provincial French of the north and the provincial French of the south, there is a difference, at the present day, at least of dialect, and perhaps of language. This is shown by the following specimens: the first from the canton of Arras, on the confines of Flanders; the second from the department of Var, in Provence. The date of each is A.D. 1807.

I.

_Luke_ xv. 11.

11. Ain homme avouait deeux garcheons.

12. L'pus jone dit a sain pere, "Main pere, baille m'cheu qui douo me 'r v'nir ed vous bien," et lue pere leu part.i.t sain bien.

13. Ain n'sais yur, tro, quate, cheon jours apres l'pus ti d'cnes deeux efeans oyant r'cuelle tout s'n' heritt'main, s'ot' ainvoye dains nain pahis gramain louon, du qu'il echilla tout s'n' argint ain f.a.geant l'braingand dains ches cabarets.

14. Abord qu'il o eu tout bu, tout mie et tout drele, il o v'nu adonc dains ch' pahis lo ainn' famaine cruuelle, et i c'mainchonait d'avoir fon-ye d' pon-ye (i.e. faim de pain).

II.

THE SAME.

11. Un home avie dous enfans.

12. Lou plus pichoun diguet a son paire, "Moun paire, dounas mi ce que mi reven de vouastre ben;" lou paire f.a.guet lou partage de tout ce que poussedavo.

13. Paou do jours apres, lou pichoun vendet tout se que soun paire li avie desamparat, et s'en anet dins un pais fourco luench, ounte dissipet tout soun ben en debaucho.

14. Quand aguet tou arcaba, uno grosso famino arribet dins aqueou pais et, leou, si veguet reduech a la derniero misero.

Practically speaking, although in the central parts of France the northern and southern dialects melt into each other, the Loire may be considered as a line of demarcation between two languages; the term language being employed because, in the Middle Ages, whatever may be their real difference, their northern tongue and the southern tongue were dealt with not as separate dialects, but as distinct languages--the southern being called Provencal, the northern Norman-French.

Of these two languages (for so they will in the following pages be called, for the sake of convenience) the southern, or Provencal, approaches the dialects of Spain; the Valencian of Spain and the Catalonian of Spain being Provencal rather than standard Spanish or Castilian.

The southern French is sometimes called the Langue d'Oc, and sometimes the Limousin.

-- 68. The Norman-French, spoken from the Loire to the confines of Flanders, and called also the Langue d'Oyl, differed from the Provencal in (amongst others) the following circ.u.mstances.

1. It was of later origin; the southern parts of Gaul having been colonized at an early period by the Romans.

2. It was in geographical contact, not with the allied languages of Spain, but with the Gothic tongues of Germany and Holland.

-- 69. It is the Norman-French that most especially bears upon the history of the English language.

_Specimen from the Anglo-Norman poem of Charlemagne._

Un jur fu Karleun al Seint-Denis muster, Reout prise sa corune, en croiz seignat sun chef; E ad ceinte sa espee: li pons fud d'or mer.

Dux i out e dermeines e baruns e chevalers.

Li empereres reguardet la reine sa muillers.

Ele fut ben corunee al plus bel e as meuz.

Il la prist par le poin desuz un oliver, De sa pleine parole la prist a reisuner: "Dame, veistes unkes hume nul de desuz ceil Tant ben seist espee no la corone el chef!

Uncore cunquerrei-jo citez ot mun espeez."

Cele ne fud pas sage, folement respondeit: "Emperere," dist-ele, trop vus poez preiser.

"Uncore en sa-jo un ki plus se fait leger, Quant il porte corune entre ses chevalers; Kaunt il met sur sa teste, plus belement lui set"

In the northern French we must recognise not only a Celtic and a Cla.s.sical, but also a Gothic element: since Clovis and Charlemagne were no Frenchmen, but Germans. The Germanic element in French has still to be determined.

In the northern French of _Normandy_ there is a second Gothic element, viz., a Scandinavian element. See -- 76.

QUESTIONS.

1. What are the _present_ languages of Wales, the Isle of Man, the Scotch Highlands, and Ireland?

2. What are the _present_ languages of Germany and Holland? How are they related to the _present_ language of England? How to the original language of England?

3. Enumerate the chief _supposed_ migrations from Germany to England, giving (when possible) the _date_ of each, the particular German tribe by which each was undertaken, and the parts of Great Britain where the different landings were made. Why do I say _supposed_ migrations?

Criticise, in detail, the evidence by which they are supported, and state the extent to which it is exceptionable. Who was Beda? What were the sources of his information?

4. Give reasons for believing the existence of Germans in England anterior to A.D. 447.

5. Who are the present Jutlanders of Jutland? Who the inhabitants of the district called Anglen in Sleswick? What are the reasons for connecting these with the Jutes and Angles of Beda? What those for denying such a connection?

6. What is the meaning of the termination -uarii in _Cant-uarii_ and _Vect-uarii_? What was the Anglo-Saxon translation of _Antiqui Saxones_, _Occidentales Saxones_, _Orientates Saxones_, _Meridionales Saxones_? What are the known variations in the form of the word _Vectis_, meaning the _Isle of Wight_? What those of the root Jut- as the name of the inhabitants of the peninsula of Jutland?

7. Translate _Cantware_, _Wihtware_, into Latin. How does Alfred translate _Jutae_? How does the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle? What is the derivation of the name _Carisbrook_, a town in the Isle of Wight?

8. Take exception to the opinions that _Jutes_, from _Jutland_, formed part of the Germanic invasion of England; or, rather, take exceptions to the evidence upon which that opinion is based.

9. From what part of Germany were the _Angles_ derived? What is Beda's?

what Ethelweard's statement concerning them? Who were the _Angli_ of Tacitus?

10. What is the derivation of the word Mercia?